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Long Service Recognition Awards, a celebration of the ‘best’

01 November 2022 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Stephen Collett

Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, delivering a recognition and celebratory message to 44 University of the Free State employees who have completed 20 years and more at the institution.

Speaking at the 2022 Long Service Recognition Awards, celebrating ‘the best’, University of the Free State (UFS) Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, said: “The event is a reminder that the people – the staff – are the university. You are the stars tonight.”

The annual awards ceremony, held in the Centenary Complex on the Bloemfontein Campus on 21 October 2022, is a flagship event for the UFS to recognise and celebrate staff members who have worked at the institution for 20 to 40 years and longer.

Thanking staff, including those who will be retiring at the end of this year, Prof Petersen said: “Thank you for the contribution you have made to the university. As staff, we are the custodians of the university, and while you are here – if you can – add one more brick to build a better institution that you can be proud of.”

Joining the event was Shadrack Shamane, Human Resources Business Partner in the Division of Human Resources, who has worked for the UFS for 40 years.

He started as a Labourer in the then Department of Provisioning, and in 1992 he was promoted to Supervisor and Driver.

Shamane said: “Staying at the UFS so long was for a good cause because of the opportunities offered for growth. Over the years, I managed to complete a Certificate in Labour Law in 2004, Advanced Certificate in 2006, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Labour Law in 2008.”

He is also serving as a full-time National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union shop steward.

Also recognised at this year’s awards was Ilse de Beer, Officer in the Project Management Unit of ICT Services. Ilse joined the UFS in 1987 as a Computer Mainframe Operator responsible for monitoring the mainframe, backups, and printing.

De Beer said: “I started working at Computer Services with the Sperry mainframe in 1987 till the last IBM mainframe, growing with changes in ICT Service, and today we work with data centres.”

De Beer was born on the Bloemfontein Campus in 1967 in what used to be her home – the Vishuis Bond behind the Vishuis hostel.

She said: “I grew up on campus; it was my playground and I had loads of fun times through the years. In 1975, we moved into our own house, which is now the Cairnhall Private Hospital.”

Closing the event, Prof Petersen said: “I also want to thank your partners and line managers who have stood by you, there has been a lot of input coming from them, providing the necessary support.”

He urged staff who will be retiring at the end of the year to look out for the launch of Vision 130 – ‘an elaboration of the strategic intent of the university to reposition itself for 2034, when it will commemorate its 130th anniversary.’

News Archive

SASOL TRAC laboratory launched at UFS Qwaqwa Campus

2006-05-08

Some of the guests attending the launch of the Sasol TRAC Laboratory at the University of the Free State's (UFS) Qwaqwa Campus were from the left Prof Peter Mbati (Principal of the Qwaqwa Campus), Mrs Zimbini Zwane ( Communications Manager of Sasol Infrachem), Prof Gerhardt de Klerk (Dean : UFS Faculty of the Humanities), Prof Fred Hugo
Director of TRAC SA) and Prof Jack van der Linde (Director of RIEP at the UFS).

SASOL TRAC laboratory launched at UFS Qwaqwa Campus

The Research Institute for Education Planning (RIEP) of the University of the Free State (UFS) today unveiled the Sasol TRAC Laboratory at its Qwaqwa campus.

The laboratory will be used to help grade 10, 11 and 12 learners and educators from the Qwaqwa region to conduct the experiments from the physical sciences outcome-based curriculum.

“The Sasol TRAC Laboratory introduces learners not only to the latest technology used by engineers and other scientists in practice but also to stimulate the learner’s interest in the field of science in such a way that more of them will enter into science related careers,” says Mr Cobus van Breda, Co-ordinator of the TRAC Free State Regional Centre.

According to Mr van Breda the newly established Sasol TRAC Laboratory will enable RIEP to train learners and their educators in Physical Sciences. The laboratory will consist of six work stations equipped with computers and electronic sensors.

“Learners from the Qwaqwa region will visit the Sasol TRAC Laboratory on regular basis to conduct experiments based on the curriculum. Data will be collected with electronic apparatus and presented as graphs on the computer so that results can be analysed and interpreted,” says Mr van Breda.

“There is a serious shortage of suitable qualified teachers in maths and science in the Qwaqwa region. Many schools in the region are not yet part of the RIEP project and are in dire need of assistance. A large number of these schools are in remote areas not reached regularly by intervention programmes,” says Prof Peter Mbati, Principal of the UFS Qwaqwa Campus.

“The establishment of the Sasol TRAC Laboratory at the Qwaqwa Campus provides us the opportunity to engage with our community and assist in the development and training of these vital education subjects. We are pleased that Sasol agreed to fund the project,” says Prof Mbati.

Students from the Qwaqwa Campus will also benefit from the TRAC programme. “Some promising students will also undergo further training and become assistants for the TRAC programme,” says Prof Mbati.

“Nurturing science and mathematical skills is of great importance in growing our national economy. Annually, Sasol invests more than R50 million in supporting mathematical and science education in South Africa. Our primary aim is to increase the number of learners gaining access to tertiary education in the science fields. Therefore, our Corporate Social Investment (CSI) education interventions at secondary school level focus on educator development and direct learner interventions such as the Sasol TRAC Laboratory,” explains Ms Pamilla Mudhray, CSI and SHARP manager at Sasol.

According to Ms Mudhray the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement for physical sciences in the further education and training (FET) phase from 2006, under resourced schools will need greater access to the tools and equipment necessary to teach the syllabus and fulfil the ideals of the curriculum.

TRAC South Africa is a national non-profit programme focused on supporting and expanding science, mathematics and technology education in secondary schools. The programme was first introduced to South Africa in 1994. In 2005, RIEP established the TRAC Free State regional centre on the UFS Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
5 May 2006

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